Rafter marking device



April 21, 1953 c. HUDSON 2,635,343

RAFTER MARKING DEVICE Filed May 12. 1950 2 SHEETS-SHEET l INVENT OR BYWTTORNEY April 21, 1953 c. HUDSON 2,635,343

RAFTER MARKING DEVICE far-k; v Haifa/2 ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 21, 1953UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,635,343 RAFTER MARKING DEVICE CharlesHudson, South Fontana, Calif.

Application May 12, 1950, Serial No. 161,502

1 Claim.

This invention relates to a geometrical instrument and more particularlyto an instrument for use in marking timber preparatory to cutting it.

The primary object of the invention is to enable a carpenter or likeworkman easily and quickly to mark timbers, such as roof rafters and thelike at the proper angles for cutting.

Another object is to enable the workman to layout the proper angles atwhich valley and hip rafters are to be cut and to provide a pattern forsuch rafters preparatory to the cutting thereof.

Still another object is to enable the workman easily to determine theproper angle for heel cuts on all rafters, and in general to enable theworkman easily and quickly to lay out the various angles on a piece oftimber at which, said timber is to be out.

A further and more specfic object is to enable the instrument to be usedin making either right or left hand cuts by simply reversing itsposition on the timber on which the angles are being laid out.

Among its features this invention embodiesan adjustable pattern by whichthe various angles at which rafters are to be cut may be deter-- mined,and the pattern used in guiding a marking means along the timber.

Other features include a bottom plate, a top plate of substantially thesame peripheral contour as the bottom plate, a group of Windows adjacentone end of each plate, means holding saidplates in spaced parallelrelation with windows therein in registry, ,a blade mounted between saidplates to rotate about an axis adjacent the ends of said plates,angularly disposed straightedges along one side of said blade, andindices on said blade remote from the axis, said indices being visiblethrough said windows and stops carried by the plates along the edgesthereof remote from the straight edges on the blade for engaging a pieceof timber to be marked.

\ Still-other features include means carried by the plates for holdingtheblade in various adjusted positions about the axis according to thereadings of the indices which are visible through the windows, andspaced slots extending through the blade and said slots having straightedges which are accessible through the windows to enable a pencil or thelike to be thrust through the windows and guided by the straight edge inmaking a mark on the timber upon which the device'is being used.

In the drawings;

- Figure l is a top plan view of a geometrical instrument embodying thefeatures of this invention,

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the blade used in the instrument,

. Figure 3 is a longitudinalsectional view taken substantially along theline 33 of Figure 1,

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially along theline 4-4 Figure l,

Figure 5 is a fragmentary enlarged plan view of one of the scalesemployed in connection with the device,

Figure 6 is a fragmentary enlarged plan view of the device showing thewindow in the top plate through which certain indices are visible, and

substantially along the line l--! of Figure 1.

Referring tothe drawings in detail this instrue ment designatedgenerally l0 comprises an elongated bottom plate l2 and an elongated.top plate l4 which is of the same peripheral contour as the plate I2.Carried by one longitudinal edge of the plate l2 and extendingperpendicularly from said plate are a series of stop lugs l6, andcarried by the adjacent edge of the top plate are spaced perpendicularlugs l8. The lugs 16 engage an edge of a timber to be marked, when thetop plate I4 is uppermost, and the lugs l8 serve as stops to engage anedge of a timber to be cut when the bottom plate I2 is uppermost. Itwill thus be seen that the device is reversible and may be used ineither position. The plates l2 and Id are held in spaced parallelrelation by suitable rivets Zll which extend therethrough adjacent themarginal edges thereof as will be readily understood upon reference tothe drawings. Extending through the plates adjacent one corner ofinstrument Ill is a pivot pin 22 by which a blade-to be more fullyhereinafter described-is pivotally supported to move in an are betweenthe plates. Formed in each plate adjacent the pivot 22 is an opening 24of substantially triangular contour with the edge of the opening 24remote from the pivot 22 lying sub--v stantially parallel with thelongitudinal side edges of the plates. These openings 24 lie in registryand give access to certain elements of the blade as will be more fullyhereinafter described Formed in the plates I 2 and M in spaced relationto the pivot 22 are registering openings 26 forming windows throughwhich certain indices carried by the blades, to be more fullyhereinafter described, are visible. As illustrated in Figure 1 l2 and I4and opposite side walls of these open- Figure '7 is a fragmentarysectional view taken ings converge toward the edges of the plates remotefrom the lugs IE and I8 to form straight edges along which a markinginstrument may be guided for marking rafters having what is known as thecommon pitch or for marking octagonal rafters. The openings 26 alsoserve as windows through which certain indices on the blade, to be morefully hereinafter described, are visible. Extending through the platestransversely thereof near the openings '26 are window openings 28 withthe opening in one plate registering with that in the other, and thesewindow openings lie transversely of the plates as will be readilyunderstood upon reference to Figure ,1. These openings not only givevisibility to certain indices carried by the blade, butalso renderaccessible by a marking instrument one straight edge of said blade.Registering substantially'tiiangular openings 30 are formed in theplates adjacent the ends thereof remote from the pivot g2, andformed inthe top plate l4 adjacent the,

ends of the openings 3!] is a window opening 32 through which indices 34carried bythe bottom plate 12 are visible. Extending outwardly from theedge of the plates carrying the lugs I 6 and I8 is an elongated lip 34upon which indices 35 and 31. are carried. These indices lie along theedges of the openings 26 adjacent the edges of the plates 42 and- I4carrying the lugs It and l, 8..-, .Carried' :by the lip or. flange 34intermediate the ends thereof is a set screw 36, and a similar setscrew38 is carried by a lug 40 formed on and extending outwardly fromthe edge of the plates 12- and ldfrorn -which the tongues or flanges 34extend. These set screws 36 and 38 cooperate in holding theblade of thedevice in various adjusted positions.

Pivotally supported on the pivot pin 22 for movement about the axisthereof and between the plates l2 and i4 is a blade designated generally42. This blade 42 comprises a substantially rectangular body 44 which.is provided adjacent its smaller end with a suitable opening 46 for thereception of the pivot pin 22. The edge 48 of the body 44'lies adjacentthe edges of the plates I2 and 14 carrying the lugs 16 and 18, andformed on the body .4 adjacent the end thereof remote from the opening46 is a lip or flange D havinga slot 52 extending thereto which servesas a finger grip for moving the blade between the plates 12 and I4.Formed along the edge of the body 44 remote from the edge 48 and lyingin angular relation to the edge 48 is a straight edge 54, and lyingadjacent said straight edge 54 at .a different angle thereto is astraight edge 56. Adjoining the end of the straight edge 56 remote fromthe straight edge 54 and lying in angular relation thereto is a straightedge 58 which extends substantially to the end of the body 44 remotefrom the pivot opening 46. An arm 60 projects from the smaller end ofthe body 44 in substantial alignment with the axis of the opening 46 andis provided with a straight edge 62 which lies perpendicular to thestraight edge 54. Formed in the body 44 and curving about the axis ofthe opening 46 are spaced concentric slots 64 and 66 through which theset screws 36 and 38 are projected to holdthe blade in various adjustedpositions between the plates l2 and I4. Spaced. slots 68 and are formedin the body 44, and when the parts are assembled with the blade betweenthe plates I2 and I4, the slots 68 and 10 will be accessible through theopenings 26.

' Pivotally supported on a suitable pivot pin l2 .4 which extendsbetween the plates adjacent the ends thereof remote from the pivot pin22, and adjacent the smaller ends the openings 30 is a blade 14 carryingat its end remote from the pivot 12 a pointer Hi which moves between theplates [2 and I4 and is visible through the window 32. This pointercooperates with the indices which are visible through the window 32 indetermining the proper angles for hips and valleys. A lever arm 18 isconnected to the blade 14 and projects beyond the confines of the platesI2 and I4 so that the blade 14 may be easily adjusted to the desiredposition with relation to the indices beneath the window 32.

In use when it is desired to lay out the proper angles for the cuttingof a piece of timber, the instrument is placed on the timber with thelugs l6 lying against one edge of the timber and the set screws 36 and38 are loosened so as to permit the blade to move between the plates-l2and I4. The blade is then moved to bring the indices 80, 82 or 84 intothe desired position with respect to the bottom edges of the openings.26 or 2B according to which type of rafter is to be cut, and with theparts in this position, the set screws 36 and 3B are locked, and themarks are made by using the various .straight edges carried by theblade, some of which are accessible through the openings 2G and 28,while others are accessible beyond the opposite edge of the instrument.When it is desired to lay out the angles on a piece of timber for hipsand valleys, the device is placed on the timber as previously described,and the arm '13 is moved so as to adjust the plate 14 to the desired.position according to the indices visible through the Window 32whereupon the blades 14 lying at the desired angle is accessible throughthe window openings 39 in the plates l2 and I4 so, that a markinginstrument may be drawn along the edge of the blade to indicate onthetimber the angle at which it is to be cut. Ob-

viously if so desired the device may be turned upside down on the workin which event the lugs I 8 will engage the edge of the work, and theparts may be manipulated in identically the same manner as previouslydescribed. By theuse of this instrument the various rafter angles, aswell as the miters, hips and valleys, mav be laid out on a piece oftimber preparatory to cutting it,

and when the timber is placed in position the fit will be accurate. Byusing this device the carpenter or workman will save considerable timeover the ordinary methods employed when usin a square. I

While in the foregoing there has been shown and described the preferredform of this invention, it is to be understood that minor changes inthedetails of construction, combination and arrangement of parts mayberesorted to -with-' out departing from the spirit and scope of theinvention as claimed.

I claim:

' In an instrument for use in marking a timber preparatory to cuttingit, an elongated bottom plate, an elongated top plate overlying thebottom plate, said plates having substantially identical peripheralcontours, a group of windows adjacent to one end of each plate and inregistry, means holding said plates in spaced parallel relation, a bladeof substantially triangular form pivoted to and between said platesadjacent to the ends thereof opposite from the said windows to swingabout said pivot, a series of parallel and aligned slots in the end ofsaid blade remote from said pivot, said blade having angularly disposedstraight edges along one of its sides, indices on said blade remote fromthe point of its pivot, said indices being visible through said windows,depending and upstanding stops carried by the bottom and top platesrespectively along the side edges thereof remote from the straight edgeat the wider end of the blade being exposed 15 2,556,731

through certain of the windows at the opposite end of said plates.

CHARLES HUDSON.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 53,397 Branch Mar. 2'7, 1866 944,799 Lytle Dec. 28, 19091,050,969 McLeod Jan. 21, 1913 1,198,096 Armstrong Sept. 12, 19161,821,103 Luginbuhl Sept. 1, 1931 1,827,014 Jannell Oct. 13, 1931Smithson June 12, 1951

